Kurt Schweitz has been playing various musical instruments since age 4 but didn’t begin to consider a career in music until moving to Chicago to pursue a PhD in Mathematics at the University of Chicago.  Kurt has performed internationally on stages in London, Paris,at the Aberdeen Jazz Festival in Scotland, La Mercé Festival in Barcelona, and at the Booey Lehoo Arts Festival in Beijing.  Back home, his schedule has included performances at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millenium Park, the Chicago Jazz Festival, South Shore Cultural Festival, Meet the Composer, Chicago Humanities Festival, Asian-American Jazz Festival, Milwaukee Jazz in the Park Festival.  Kurt has played over 3,000 club and event dates in Chicago and elsewhere, has performed with local orchestras like the Rockford Symphony, and appears on dozens of local jazz and pop/rock recordings.  In addition to bass, he occasionally performs on piano, cello, viola, and through live programmed sounds.

As a composer, Kurt’s work is regularly commissioned for dance, theatre, and film.  He received Individual Artist grants from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in 2015 and 2009, as well as a 2011 Individual Artist grant from the Illinois Arts Council for his original work.  As a regularly performer in jazz, rock, and classical music, Kurt’s music uses these influences to contemporaneously unfold the deep roots of these musical genres into a cohesive whole.

As an actor, Kurt had a recurring co-star role on season 4 of Empire (Fox), as the character “Ron”.  He is represented by Big Mouth Talent, Inc.